Steam-generator.



No. 799,198. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. W. H. SHAPER.

STEAM GENERATOR.

APPLICATION nun MAE. e, 1905.

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UNITED STATES \VILLIA 11. SHAFER, OF IN(/INNA' PATENT OFFICE.

Fl, 01110, ASSIGNOII TO THE AI'IItICNS FIRE ENGINE COMPANY, OFCINCINNATI, O11 IO, A (l(,)ItI()RA'I.ION OF OHIO.

STEAM-GENERATOR.

Application filed March 6,

Specification of Letters Patent.

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Be it known that I, \VrLLL-m .171. Slmrnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Cincinnati, Ohio, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Steam-Generators, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to steam-generators adapted to use for lire-enginesand other purposes; and the objects of my improvement are to provideconcentric shells inclosing annular water and steam chambers; a seriesof units of circulation and generation, each com- I municatlng with saidchambers, said units each consisting of helical ascending and straight descending tubes, whereby the circulation is automatically maintained inone and the same direction; to inter-pose the straight tubes between thehelical tubes and the steam-chamber, whereby the water may be separatedfrom the steam before reaching the steam-chamber, and to provide suchconstruction and assemblage of the various parts as to obtain thegreatest eiiiciency and durability combined with simplicity and economy.These objects are attained in the following described mannor, asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is anelevation with parts in diametrical vertical section of asteam-generator embodying my improvement; Figs. 2 and 3, plans,respectively, with parts broken away, of the top and inverted bottomheaders and their connections; and Fig. a, a vertical longitudinalsection of a top and a bottom header.

i In the drawings, a and I) represent concentric inner and outer shellssurmounted by a hood 7, 8 an annular water-leg encircling firebox 9, and11 an annular steam-chamber separated therefrom by the water-line rt("1, all being constructed and arranged in the ordinary manner. A seriesof tubular top headers 12, secured to and substantially radiating fromcentral plate 13, are removably supported within the inner shell onbrackets lei, secured thereto. They each communicate with closed tubulararms 15, which are extended laterally from opposite sides thereof in theform of an arc. The said contiguous arms of adjacent headers are securedtogether by means of bolts 16 and form a continuous ring adjacent to andconcentric with the inner shell. A series of bottom headers 17, similarto the top headers, substantially radiate in registration therewith fromcentral bottom plate 18, to

which they are secured. They each terminate in closed tubular arms 19,which extend laterally from opposite sides and in registration withcorresponding arms 15. Corresponding top and bottom headers communicatethrough a series of connecting helical tubes 21 and the correspondingarms thereof through a series of connecting straight vertical tubes 22,thus forming an independent unit of circulation and generation.

Removable discharge-pipes 23, formed with return-bends, communicate withthe extremity of the respective arms 15 and with the steam-chamber atpoints in a plane above the arms, and removable supply-pipes 24, similarthereto, communicate with the extremity of respective arms 19 and withthe water-leg at points in a plane below said arms.

The top and bottom headers are secured to their respective centralplates at a tangential angle in the same direction from correspondingradii sufficient to bring the line of openings 25 therein substantiallyin a plane at right angles to the extremities of the series of helical 3tubes which are respectively secured in said openings. Openings2(i,provided with removable plugs, are formed in the headers directlyopposite the respective openings 25 to permit access to the extremitiesof the helical tubes for swaging or other purposes.

In operation the most rapid generation of steam occurs within thehelical tubes, owing to their central location and inclined exposure ito the ascending heat-currents from the lirebox. In the passage of thesteam from the helices its direction is abruptly changed by the oppositeinner wall of the corresponding top header, by the transverse interiorwall at the juncture of the arms, by the extremities of the arms, and bythe turns in the dischargetubes, by which it is elevated and deliveredin the steam-chamber in a plane above said arms. The water being lessvolatile than the steam is thus retarded and separated therefrom andautomatically tends to return through the vertical tubes and complete acycle of circulation to the bottom of the helices again. In the passageof the water from the vertical tubes through the bottom arms and headerany deficiency from conversion to steam is supplied from the water-legthrough the supply-pipes. In this manner an independent unit or cycle ofcirculation and generation is interposed and automatically malntainedbetween the water-leg and the steamchamber.

Having fully described by improvement, What I claim as my invention, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s

1. The combination of concentric shells inclosing an annular water andsteam chamber a top header supported thereby and provided with adischarge-pipe, a bottom header provided with a supply-pipe, ahelicaltube concentric within the shell, and a straight tube outside ofthe circle thereof, both tubes forming channels of communication betweensaid headers.

2. The combination of concentric shells inclosing an annular water andsteam chamber a top header supported thereby and provided with a pipewhich discharges in a higher plane, a bottom header provided withasupplypipe, a series of concentric helical tubes, and a series ofstraight tubes located without the space embraced by the helical tubes,both series of tubes communicating with said headers.

3. The combination of a top and a bottom header each having a lateraltubular arm on one end, a helical tube connecting said headers togetherand a straight tube extending between the arms.

4:. The combination of a top and a bottom header each formed with alateral arm, a helical tube communicating between the headers, and astraight tube communicating between the arms outside thereof.

5. The combination of a series of headers secured to a common centerpiece and extending therefrom at the same acute angle to correspondingradii, for the purpose specified.

6. The combination of a series of headers, respective series ofconcentric helices secured thereto, said headers being secured to acommon center piece and at an acute angle to corresponding radii.

7 The combination with a top header, a helical tube secured atrightangles thereto, a lateral arm formed on the header, a dischargepipeformed with return-bends secured at right angles to the arm, andterminating in a plane above the header, and a vertical tube dependingfrom said arm, for the purpose.

specified.

8. The combination of a series of top headers radiating from a commoncenter and terminating in lateral tubular arms having closed ends, meansto secure the contiguous arms of adjacent headers together to form acontinuous connection between them, of a series of helical tubescommunicating with the header, a series of vertical tubes communicatingwith the arms thereof and pipes extending from the arms and arranged todischarge in a higher plane.

9. In a steam-generator, a series of headers secured to a common centerpiece and extending therefrom atan acute angle to corresponding radii.

10. In a steam-generator, a header formed with openings in a helicalline adapted to the engagement of tubes therein, and with a lateral arm,for the purpose specified.

11. In a steam-generator, a series of headers secured to a common centerpiece at an acute angle to corresponding radii and terminating inlateral arms removably connected together.

12. In a steam-generator, a series of radiating headers secured to acommon center piece at one end and each terminating at the other end ina lateral arm in the form of an arc concentric to the center piece.

13. The combination of a series of radiating top headers terminating inlateral arms removably connected together, a series of similar bottomheaders formed with arms and registering therewith, a series of helicaltubes communicating with corresponding top and bottom headers, and aseries of straight tubes communicating with the respective arms thereon.

WILLIAM H. SHAFER.

Witnesses:

ALBERT A. MOEBUS, R. S. CARR.

